


All the Time It Takes

by AimaDuragon



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M, Tragic Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-09-14
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:00:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26466049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AimaDuragon/pseuds/AimaDuragon
Summary: Albus and Scorpius find their way to each other slowly. Inevitably. [Albus/Scorpius]
Relationships: Scorpius Malfoy/Albus Severus Potter
Comments: 5
Kudos: 42





	All the Time It Takes

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was written for the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition circa 2017. 
> 
> I've also never actually read HPatCC, so these characters might be slightly (or significantly) OOC. Hope you enjoy it regardless!

* * *

-xXx-

* * *

Scorpius had never seen eyes that green before, and there was something in him that couldn't help but wonder if he was meant to stare into them forever.

He could feel his heart pounding uncontrollably as the sorting hat proclaimed the youngest Potter as a Slytherin. Everyone else in the room might as well have vanished the instant the hat was lifted. Scorpius' very existence seemed to come to a stuttering halt, his entire being honed in on the spark that ignited just beneath his skin the moment Albus Potter's head turned and their eyes met for the first time.

* * *

-xXx-

* * *

For all intents and purposes, he was creating a Time Turner. Except that he wasn't.

* * *

-xXx-

* * *

The books Scorpius had been holding in his arms went flying as he clattered to the ground. Pain shot up his knees as they hit hard stone, and blood filled his mouth as his teeth sank into his tongue. Cursing under his breath, Scorpius stared down at his hands and tried to calm his breathing.

"Come on, _Malfoy_!" The boy spat his name like it was a curse. "Don't tell me the son of a Death Eater doesn't want to fight back!"

He could still feel the place where the boy had shoved him like a brand on his back. That same heat was starting to trickle up his spine, settling against the backs of his eyes and threatening to spill over.

_No._ He wouldn't cry.

"What's the matter, Malfoy? I thought snakes were supposed to have spines."

Scorpius clenched his teeth together. He _wouldn't_ cry.

"Why don't you—" The boy's words were cut off as a cool wind swept past Scorpius, brushing against his cheek in the imitation of a caress. Someone began whispering softly, the sound of it skittering across Scorpius' skin and making his hairs stand on end.

A supernatural stillness hung in the air, growing palpably thick as magic began filling it. It seemed to ripple around him like a live thing, its invisible tendrils cradling his face and warming his blood.

"Malfoy?"

Scorpius' gaze was wrenched up at the sound of his name in the unfamiliar voice, and he was immediately plunged into a sea of vivid green.

Albus Potter, precariously balanced on the balls of his feet, cocked his head. "Are you alright?"

Scorpius glanced around anxiously, but the crowd of students had already dispersed. He hadn't even noticed them leave. "Um, yeah."

"Good."

Unable to help himself, Scorpius' attention shifted back to Albus and he felt his pulse flutter at the base of his throat. What that meant, he wasn't quite sure. Maybe it was the reason his father had told him to steer clear of Potters.

"I don't believe we've been properly introduced," Albus said, jutting out his hand. "I'm Albus Potter."

Scorpius stared down at it for a prolonged moment, his heart pounding even harder than it had been moments before. It felt as if it was about to burst out of his chest. As if from somewhere far off, he watched his own hand rise and slip into the other boy's. "I'm Scorpius Malfoy."

* * *

-xXx-

* * *

Time Turners weren't enough. They couldn't get him what he needed—not really. He didn't just want to be transported back to a certain time as a separate entity drifting through the shadows.

No.

He wanted to go back and be himself—to relive those moments...to feel the things he had once felt.

Scorpius willed his hands not to tremble as he rotated the small mirror a fraction of a degree. He had to make sure the angle was just right. It had to reflect directly inwards. That was the only way it would work.

* * *

-xXx-

* * *

"Come on, Scorpius!"

Scorpius grimaced down at the dark water as it sloshed against the docks. "I think I've changed my mind."

Albus laughed and stretched his arms out wide. His bare torso reminded Scorpius of gold-dusted bronze and it seemed to shimmer beneath the thick rays of sun that warmed the afternoon. "It's not that hard, I promise! It'll just be like the tank we practiced in."

"You mean the one that kept breaking because you never took the time to charm the walls thick enough?"

Albus' grin didn't falter. He stared at Scorpius with eyes that never ceased to make his heart skip a beat. It was a feeling that Scorpius had quickly found himself addicted to.

Jaw set, Albus stepped forward and grabbed Scorpius' hand. Scorpius' entire body jerked, as if he'd just been shocked, before going completely still. Very suddenly, he became aware of every molecule in his body and of how his nerves had started to buzz wherever their skin touched.

"We'll jump in together," Albus said.

Distantly, Scorpius felt himself nod. "Alright. Together then."

* * *

-xXx-

* * *

Scorpius muttered another incantation, twisting the small, metal instrument between his fingers. This was the part about magic that he'd always hated: for every problem there was always one solution which was simple, neat, and wrong.

He couldn't afford to make that mistake here.

* * *

-xXx-

* * *

"Tell me you are not reading the fifth-year Transfiguration textbook right now."

Scorpius placed a finger to mark his spot before glancing up. Albus was staring down at him, arms crossed over his chest, and a deep groove between his brows. Anyone who didn't know him might've thought he was quite upset. But Scorpius did know him, and he recognized the glint in Albus' eyes for what it was.

Scorpius smirked. "So what if I am?"

"We're supposed to spend all of our free time tormenting Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs. It's very clearly written in the Slytherin codex."

"We really should amend the codex to include Ravenclaws. They'd at least be a challenge."

The corner of Albus' mouth threatened to crack. "So if you're reading that this year then what will you read next year?"

"The sixth-year Transfiguration book of course."

The glint in Albus' eyes brightened. "And what will you do when we get to seventh-year? You do realize there's not an eighth-year textbook, right?"

Scorpius shrugged. "By then they'll probably have me teaching the class. Which will be lucky for you seeing as you're absolute bollocks at Transfiguration."

Albus' mask finally broke, a laugh bubbling up his throat and spilling out. Scorpius felt inflated by it—warm and buoyant like a balloon. The dark-haired boy shook his head, his eyes leaving Scorpius' to settle on something far away even as light danced in their emerald depths. "You're an amazing creature, Scorpius Malfoy."

* * *

-xXx-

* * *

Gears clicked as Scorpius wound them into place, attaching them to the delicate bars that the hourglass was suspended between. He'd checked over the equations more times than he could count. They were correct. They had to be.

* * *

-xXx-

* * *

Albus' laugh was like a bird's trill as it echoed off the walls of the Slytherin common room and danced through Scorpius' chest. "How in the world can you stand playing this game against me? I'm abysmal!"

Scorpius glanced down at the chessboard that sat between them, noting just how many of Albus' pieces were now in fragments. "You're not," he lied.

"You've already beaten me four times."

Scorpius smirked. Albus was the only person he knew who didn't mind losing. He always wanted to play again. Scorpius repositioned his queen, preparing for the move Albus' king would inevitably have to make.

"Have you seen all the Halloween Ball flyers they've been putting up?" Albus asked, sliding his pawn into a position that was all wrong.

"Yeah. So?"

Albus paused. "You say that as if you're not going."

Scorpius commanded his knight forward with a chuckle. "Why in the world would I want to?"

Silence stretched between them again, but there was something markedly different about it this time. It pulled Scorpius' gaze up and his stomach dropped at the sight of Albus' frown. "Albus?"

Sighing, Albus ushered his bishop across the length of the board. "Checkmate." Without another word, he rose from his seat and left.

* * *

-xXx-

* * *

The thing about the magic in Time Turners was that it was very similar to the magic in Apparition; they had to be infused with destination, determination, and deliberation.

The contraption that Scorpius was creating was no different. Except it needed something extra. Something different.

Deconstruction.

* * *

-xXx-

* * *

Scorpius slammed the dormitory door shut behind him, stalking across the length of the room and reveling in the sound of wood creaking as his magic threatened to burst it apart. He wanted to run. He wanted to scream. He wanted to destroy everything in sight.

The door opened again behind him. "Scorp."

The word was like the crack of a whip striking against Scorpius' back. He spun around, fury ripping through his veins as he took in the incensed expression on Albus' face.

Albus took a looming step forward, his magic like a clap of thunder in the room. The taste of it filled Scorpius' mouth and made his teeth buzz. "Apologize."

The muscles in Scorpius' shoulders grew painfully tight. "No."

Albus took another step forward and the very air shuddered. "Apologize," he demanded, louder this time. " _Now_."

" _No_."

The mirror behind Scorpius shattered. "What the hell is your problem? I thought you liked Euan!"

"I do!" Scorpius seethed

"Well you certainly have a way of bloody showing it! You were inexcusably rude to him, Scorpius!"

"I was not!"

Albus' brows shot up. "You ruined the new jumper I gave him!"

"That was an accident."

"The hell it was!"

Heat filled Scorpius' blood so fast it made him dizzy. The room seemed to trembling in anticipation as their magic warred just as vehemently as their voices. "Well if it was on purpose it was only because you were being the biggest ponce that ever lived!"

"What? How?"

"Ever since you started dating him it's like I've fallen off the bloody planet!"

Shock flashed across Albus' features. "That's not true—"

"Yes it is," Scorpius hissed. "And you didn't even talk to me about it first. We're _supposed_ to be best friends and you never told me that you were…that you are…" He pursed his lips together and looked away, unable to finish the thought. His mouth tasted so bitter he thought he might be sick. Why that was, he still didn't understand.

Again, Albus stepped forward. "We _are_ best friends, Scorp."

Scorpius glared at him. "Well maybe I don't want to be best friends with the likes of a Potter anymore."

* * *

-xXx-

* * *

If everything proceeded without incident, he would be a visitor in his body. He would have no control of his own thoughts or his own actions. He would simply be strapped in, along for the ride. But that was enough. As long as he got to see Albus…it would be enough.

* * *

-xXx-

* * *

An enraged howl was the only warning he got before a dark figure rounded the corner and hurtled down the stairwell, nearly knocking Scorpius into the wall. Not a moment later, a bottle shattered somewhere near his head.

A scowl marred Scorpius' features as the scent of alcohol bit at his nose. Whoever had the audacity to drink after-hours on _his_ prefect patrol route—

"Albus?" The word slipped out of Scorpius' mouth unbidden the moment he saw him.

Albus was leaning against the curve of an archway, his head tipped back and his eyes firmly shut. Shades of black and blue cut through the lines of his figure, highlighted by the crisp white moonlight that caressed his silhouette. He looked like some creature of the night that had just strayed out of a dream, and Scorpius found himself unable to keep from drawing nearer even as his heart pounded in his ears.

It had been three months since he and Albus had last spoken, but their separation had done little to dull the response that Albus' presence always triggered.

"This is your fault." Albus' low tenor slithered through the crisp evening air, effectively halting Scorpius' approach.

Scorpius stared at him, not daring to breathe.

Albus' eyes opened—a flash of unyielding green amongst the midnight hues. "Come here."

"You're drunk," Scorpius replied, as if that made any difference.

Albus' gaze narrowed. "Come. Here."

Almost involuntarily, Scorpius complied. He couldn't help it. He'd never been able to when it came to Albus. But something about tonight felt different. They'd been standing on the precipice of this unknown edge for so long that Scorpius knew they had no choice but to topple over.

The moment Scorpius was close enough, Albus' hands whipped out, grabbing hold of Scorpius' robes and yanking him close. Hot breath pooled against Scorpius' nose, sending a cascade of sparks down his spine. He held himself very still, acutely aware of how warmth had begun blooming throughout his body despite the evening's chill.

"You drive me mad, do you know that?" Albus hissed, pulling Scorpius impossibly closer. "I mean, where do you get off—ignoring me for _months_ over some stupid fight. All because you couldn't just admit that you were jealous."

Jealous? Indignation threatened at the back of Scorpius' throat, but Albus didn't give him the chance to release it.

"He absolutely hates it when I talk about you, you know," Albus whispered, tilting his head and slotting their faces together. He smelled of alcohol and wet stone and sheer exhilaration. "Thinks I'm obsessed with you."

Scorpius couldn't move. "Are you?"

Albus' eyes, which were much too close to see properly, flickered down. The coppery tang of live magic flooded across Scorpius' tongue as Albus slid one hand beneath his robes to settle on his hip. Heat sang in Scorpius' blood, as if he was suddenly standing too close to a raging fire.

"Yes."

Albus closed the remaining distance between them, crashing their lips together. It was not the first kiss that Scorpius had always imagined for himself. There was nothing tender or gentle in the way Albus' lips tore at his own, teeth sliding over his bottom lip. And there was certainly nothing sweet about the tongue that was demanding access, threatening to devour him whole.

It was undeniably perfect.

The realization of it spread over him like a sunrise, igniting a part of himself that he never even knew existed. He felt as if he were falling into it; careening headfirst into a burning light that he'd only been able to glimpse before. His hands latched onto Albus' shoulders as if they could anchor him there.

Scorpius melted into the kiss, unable to resist the way Albus' touch scorched through him. He was coming alive beneath this creature of the night, and somehow he knew there was no turning back.

* * *

-xXx-

* * *

He'd already tried altering the past. So many times he'd tried…but nothing had changed.

* * *

-xXx-

* * *

Albus slid into the chair across from Scorpius, his bottom lip worrying beneath his teeth. He looked nervous. Which was good, since Scorpius felt as if he was about to jump out of his skin.

"So," Albus said.

"So," Scorpius echoed.

Albus sucked in a deep breath, and despite the bustling crowd in the Three Broomsticks, Scorpius heard it waver. "Euan and I broke up."

Scorpius nodded. "I heard."

"It really sucked."

Scorpius' heart lurched and he had to rake his hands against his thighs to keep from reaching across the table. It had been three days since they'd been this close, and there wasn't a fiber in Scorpius' being that wasn't reminding him of it.

"Scorpius…"

Every inch of him shuddered as he felt the things that had withered within him over the past couple of months flicker back to life under the sun of Albus' attention. He cringed to think of how many years he'd wasted wondering what that feeling was when it seemed so obvious now. Painfully so. Yet, there seemed to be something even more frightening about it now—a sense of foreboding that he couldn't rid himself of.

"Scor—"

A screeching yell pierced through the air, and Scorpius' eyes jerked open just in time to see the curse fly through the crowd and hit Albus square between his shoulders.

Scorpius' wand was in his hand in an instant, and within a blink he was on the other side of the table. Rage ripped through him like a torrent as a wordless curse flew from his wand towards the fleeing man. Scorpius felt his magic connect—burning through clothing and sinking searing fangs into soft flesh. The man fell with a scream.

Everything suddenly burst to life around him, witches and wizards sweeping through the dining hall and crowding in close. But Scorpius barely noticed them. Adrenaline lanced through his veins as he turned back to Albus. He was lying perfectly still, his eyes shut and red smoke curling around him.

Heart slamming into his throat, Scorpius shook him. "Albus?"

Albus didn't move.

"Albus?" Scorpius shook him again, his wand clattering to the floor. "Albus!"

Albus didn't move.

* * *

-xXx-

* * *

So this was what it had come to. This was all he had left.

* * *

-xXx-

* * *

Scorpius nodded dully as Albus' mother tried to relay what the mediwizards had told her.

Rogue Death Eater.

A binding curse gone wrong.

Lost too much blood.

Unable to stabilize.

Not much time left.

Dying.

_Dying_. Scorpius felt like he was lost at sea, rocked by the sway of that word repeating itself over and over in his mind.

_Dying. Dying. Dying._

* * *

-xXx-

* * *

Scorpius screwed the final cog into place. This was his last hope.

* * *

-xXx-

* * *

"Scorp…"

Scorpius hushed him, sweeping his fingers through Albus' hair.

Albus could barely open his eyes. "Scorpius…I…"

Scorpius hushed him again, leaning forward and pressing their foreheads together. He hoped that Albus couldn't feel the tears that were dripping onto his cheeks. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Albus."

* * *

-xXx-

* * *

Slowly, Scorpius lowered the chain around his neck, and with a final, shuddering breath, he began twisting the dials. It had to work. It had to…

There was nothing else left for him here. Everything else had been lost in time…space…meaning.

Scorpius closed his eyes, and waited.

* * *

-xXx-

* * *

Scorpius had never seen eyes that green before, and there was something in him that couldn't help but wonder if he was meant to stare into them forever.

* * *

_fin_


End file.
